For decorative and holiday purposes it is frequently desirable to display fresh cut trees, usually evergreens, in a natural upstanding manner. A portable tree stand is used to support the tree in a natural upstanding manner while holding a quantity of water in contact with the cut end to maintain freshness. Such tree stands are of two basic types: screw type stands which use screws to engage the trunk and support the tree, and cable type stands which use cables to accomplish this. Cable-type stands are generally preferred for applications where an installer is either unable or unwilling to expend the extensive time and effort required to erect and adjust a tree's position with screws.
An tree stand that uses cables to support a tree in an upright position must have some means of preventing the cut-end of the tree's trunk from sliding sideways in relation to the tree stand. To prevent this sliding, most existing cable-type tree stands include some form of trunk-retainer to prevent this lateral movement--normally pins or spikes. It is desirable, from a safety standpoint, to include some means, other than the reservoir rim, for preventing the tree from falling should the primary retainer fail to engage the trunk-end securely enough; and, protecting against personal injury by restricting access to the often sharp primary trunk-retainer.
Unfortunately, current cable-type tree stands make no provision for the possibility that a tree may break loose from the trunk-retainer, allowing the cut-end to slide laterally and either precluding vertical tree alignment or allowing the tree to crash to the ground. If, for example, only one spike were to engage the cut-end of an unevenly-cut tree, application of force to any of the supporting cables could easily result in the trunk twisting away and possibly out of engagement with the trunk-retainer. In addition, current systems that use sharp pins or spikes as primary trunk-retainers do not restrict access to the pins or spikes, offering little protection against personal injury.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,629 to Merrill, issued Jan. 21, 1975, discloses a cable-type tree stand with a wide reservoir, and a single upwardly-projecting spike for securing the base of the tree. Should the spike fail to adequately engage the cut end of the tree trunk, the cut end will be free to slide laterally across the reservoir, likely toppling the tree. In addition, the spike presents a significant personal injury hazard to individuals who might inadvertently step or fall into the reservoir either prior to or after tree installation.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,405 to J. M. Layton, issued Jan. 4, 1966, discloses a cable-type tree stand with a central depressed arcuate portion disposed in the center of its reservoir. The depressed arcuate portion has upwardly and outwardly extending sides that hold the cut end of a tree against lateral movement. Should the depressed arcuate portion fail to hold the tree's cut end, the cut end will be free to slide laterally across the reservoir floor, likely causing the tree to fall.